BRISTOL, Va.– Employees from the Virginia Department of Transportation’s (VDOT) recently tested their driving skills at the annual VDOT District Truck Roadeo. 

VDOT’s Truck Roadeo competition is held each summer to test drivers’ skills.  About fifty equipment operators from the 12-county Bristol district participated in five different events. 

In this year’s single axle truck competition, the winners are:

The single axle truck competition gives employees an opportunity to test their job skills in situations similar to those encountered on the road.   Operators drive a three-ton dump truck, equipped with an 11-foot snow plow, through a series of obstacle courses simulating such maneuvers as plowing snow away from fixed objects, parallel parking, braking to a stop, mirror backing and backing to a loading dock.                                                                 

Winners in the backhoe competition are:

In the backhoe competition operators use a standard tractor equipped with an excavator, referred to as the "bucket," equipped with an object that is used to place golf balls into buckets ranging from standard size to small.  The competition demonstrates operators’ abilities to control the excavator.

This year’s winners in the tandem truck event are:

The tandem truck event uses a driving course similar to the single axle truck competition.  A tandem truck is a larger vehicle, weighing between 5 and 7 tons. 

In the mower tractor category, where drivers maneuver through a twisting and turning course to test driving and backing skills, the winners are:

Lastly, winners in the motor grader event are:

The motor grader event tests operators’ control of the grader blade.  Drivers knock tennis balls off pedestals with the grader blade without knocking down the pedestal itself.  

First place winners in each event will compete in the VDOT Statewide Truck Roadeo in the Richmond area August 9.  (END)

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